Rescuers in Colombia are digging through rubble by hand, listening for voices and racing the clock after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake tore through the country’s western region Monday.
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The quake brought down buildings, damaged roads and crushed cars across several cities, testing a new government only days after President Abelardo de la Espriella took office.
Search enters crucial hours
The death toll remains unsettled. De la Espriella said at least 181 people were killed, while Colombia’s Public Ministry put the number at 224.
The president said more than 2,500 people were injured and at least 195 were missing. Civilian-run databases suggested the number of missing could be much higher as families posted online looking for loved ones.
Some of the hardest-hit cities include Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo. In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder said 95 people were killed, 949 were injured and 239 were believed to be trapped. He said 86 people had been rescued there so far.
Search teams worked through the night as aid agencies warned the first 48 to 72 hours are critical for finding people alive. The Associated Press reported scenes of hope amid the destruction, including a baby lifted through an opening in a concrete wall and a woman carried from the rubble on a stretcher.
Response grows as damage spreads
The earthquake knocked out power in parts of Pereira, where residents searched dark streets and some slept outside because their homes were damaged or they feared aftershocks.
Hospitals in five Colombian cities were put on red alert, and Cali imposed an overnight curfew to make room for rescue crews. Seven airports suspended service in Armenia, Cali, Manizales, Pereira, Quibdo, Buenaventura and Cartago.
De la Espriella has declared a national disaster and said more than 1,600 homes collapsed nationwide. The U.S. activated a Disaster Assistance Response Team and announced more than $15 million in emergency aid for shelter, food, protection and damage assessments. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington stood ready to support Colombia.
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